The Sunday Giveaway: Two Tickets to Ann on Broadway!

I was walking down 44th Street one night in the early 90s with a friend, when he stopped in his tracks and screamed, “Oh My God,” (we didn’t say OMG in the 90s), “That’s Ann Richards!” Before I could say “Who?”, he bolted down the street and weaseled his way in between her security guards to get a handshake and a sweet Texas hello.

I went home in tried to google her, but Google hadn’t been invented yet, so I asked around and quickly learned how strong of a politician, a public figure, and a woman she was.

So strong and so unique, that they could have written a play about her.

And eventually they did!

Ann, the new play about Ann Richards, the “legendary governor of Texas,” starring Holland Taylor, starts previews tomorrow and opens officially at the beautiful Beaumont Theatre on March 7th.

And one of you is about to win free tickets!

How?

Well, let’s see . . . Fiorello was just up at Encores. Ann is on Broadway .

Who’s next?

Bloomberg? Clinton? Blagojevich?

What politician’s life would you make a show about? Comment below!

And go!

(Got a comment? I love ‘em, so comment below! Email Subscribers, click here then scroll down to say what’s on your mind!)

Kathleen Hochberg

Aaron Darr

The Clintons. Probably Bill. Hillary’s story is unfinished. 2016 is hers. I works for her for 16 months when she ran for President in 2008. She is such a compassionate, courageous, and brilliant woman. Her husband would make a great story for a one man play on Broadway. They could call it Bubba! Whoever plays Bill though would have to play the saxophone. A play with music!

Travis

Sarah P.

I agree that the Clintons have more than enough drama for a show, the Monica Lewinsky scandal alone would make a fascinating one! Although, I think a look at the Bush clan could be equally interesting (and I say that as someone who dislikes the lot of them)…

Brian

People are so fascinated with Lincoln, I think an interesting figure to explore theatrically now would be James Buchanan. The only bachelor president and someone who played a role in creating the climate that led to the Civil War.

Rob Cote

Heather

Benjamin Biordi

How about a dark comedy about George W Bush. The way he murdered the english language and common sayings is plenty of material. Condoleezza Rice as a news reading dominatrix. Dick Cheney as a face shooting, lesbian hiding, heart failing VP. Very very dark comedy.

I think Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky would make a good subject. If his quote, “I’d rather be right than be president,” doesn’t hit home with people today, I don’t know what would. He’s got kinda a crazy history – lost the presidency FOUR times, was a great Speaker of the House, worked on the Missouri Compromise, helped California become a state, and was a Whig, which is always entertaining to hear about. He may have been pre-Civil War, but interesting nonetheless.

Bob

The governors of Illinois. It would be set in a prison, of course; and would be a sequel to the musical “Chicago”, only this time with politicians. In the past 50 years, 4 governors (who were in office collectively for about 21 of those 50 years) were convicted of crimes and served time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_Illinois

Grace

LARRY ABRAMSKY

Thom

Cheryl Dzubak

Why, Barack Obama, of course. Our first African American president and his unlikely rise to the presidency when very few people even heard of him and all the barriers and obstacles he had to cross to get to where he is today.

Claire

Tom L

Eileen F.

How about Abraham Lincoln? He’s beloved bi-partisanly, it’s an epic story, the musical possibilities would be UHmazing and the old rail-splitter is a proven draw! Best of all, I could totally play Mary, finally making my Broadway debut….

“Henry A. Wallace served as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Secretary of Agriculture from 1933-1940 and his vice president during his third term. He was a popular figure, who condemned British Prime Minister Winston Churchill stating, “[The] notion of Anglo-Saxon superiority inherent in Churchill’s approach will be offensive to many. Churchill, who had quite a bit of whiskey, said, why be apologetic about Anglo-Saxon superiority, that we were superior, that we have the common heritage that had been worked out over the centuries of England and had been perfected by our Constitution.” It was well known that Wallace had a hatred for imperialism; in fact, Churchill had tasked secret agents with spying on Wallace.
Jesse H. Jones, Secretary of Commerce, Edwin Pauley, Democratic Party National Committee treasurer and oil millionaire both despised Wallace. South Carolina Senator James Byrnes, who was raised in the “hothouse politics of sultry South Carolina,” became their champion. He had come from an environment “where white superiority and segregation trumped all other issues.”
Byrnes was called up to help orchestrate a scenario where Wallace would not be re-nominated vice president. Roosevelt, who had grown increasingly ill, could not be at the Democratic National Convention and/or was unwilling to fight for his vice presidential nominee. Party bosses Pauley, Robert Hannegan, DNC chairman, Ed Flynn, Bronx Boss, Ed Kelly, Mayor of Chicago, Frank Hague, Mayor of Jersey City, Frank Walker, Postmaster General and former Party Chairman and other opponents of Wallace needed “an eleventh hour substitute” and chose Missouri Senator Harry S. Truman, who had limited qualifications and could be counted on not to rock the boat.
Known as “Pauley’s coup” to insiders, the bosses were aware of the high support Wallace had among convention delegates. Only two percent, according to a poll, supported Truman while Wallace had sixty-five percent support among delegates.
Wallace’s speech to the convention was met with huge applause. He called for “equal wages for equal work” no matter one’s gender or race. The convention delegates cheered wildly. The loudspeaker system played Wallace’s campaign song: “Iowa, Iowa. That’s where the tall corn grows.”
Florida Senator Claude Pepper knew Wallace would win if the delegates voted on his nomination before adjourning on the opening day. So, too, did the party bosses. They had Samuel D. Jackson, session chair, adjourn the convention before a vote on Wallace’s nomination could be taken. Chaos erupted because the “yays” clearly had not had outnumbered the “nays.” Nonetheless, Jackson carried out “strict instructions” not to allow the nomination and the opening day was over.
Overnight, “Pauley and anti-Wallace forces united behind Harry Truman. Deals were cut. Positions offered. Ambassadorships, postmaster positions, cash payoffs—Bosses called every state chairman telling them Roosevelt wanted the Missouri senator as his running mate.”
The second day forces for Wallace were prepared to ensure he was nominated. They voted and Wallace one the first ballot. When the second ballot was called, police prevented thousands from entering the convention. Truman won.”

Billy Recce

John P

Reading all the comments above, I can’t help but think Politician’s live the most interesing lives…because all of these people (Clintons, Lincoln, Harvey Milk, Chris Christie, Obama, MAYOR ED KOCH, Geraline Ferrero, Jim McGreevy, Anthony Weiner, Condoleeza Rice etc etc) would make great plays… or even Musicals….

Kathy H

As a Jersey Girl I’m going to suggest Jon Corzine! It might make an interesting story to find out how he escaped prosecution for losing 1.6 billion dollars of customer money from MF Global while raising campaign funds for President Obama. But of course he never intended to misuse the funds!

Paula

Josh Ruben

JFK due to the multi-genre appeal. Costumes and style of the era will appeal to fans of “Mad Men.” Soap opera lovers will get into the adultery tales, especially the Marilyn angle. Fans of political intrigue have Cuba, the fights with LBJ, and the cross-dressing J. Edgar Hoover (which is also a nod to fans of Bravo shows). Then there is the relationship with MLK and the Civil Rights struggle. And of course conspiracy wackos will love how the real killer turns out to be an inebriated Merv Griffin.

Melissa N

Aaron Burr. There is so much history & drama with him, obviously, and his family (his only daughter was traveling by boat from South Carolina to see him in NY when she disappeared and was never heard from again); it could be epic.

Jimmy Carter. I don’t know much about him or why he was so disliked, so it’d be nice if I could learn something from a play. From what I’ve read and heard so far about him there are many things about then that would help us understand what’s happening today with congress and the presidency. I think good plays can do that for us, help us understand someone in the past (in this case a tragic figure) and therefore better understand today.

Ed R

Zanne

Who else? My ancestor – John and/or Quincy Adams! (Oh wait, that’s been done – “1776”) Then how about Teddy? (Oh … that’s been done too – “Alice”) All right then … ANDREW JACKSON. He had Native American blood and yes, he also tried to eliminate N.A. from the face of the planet. Interesting study there.

Robb J

I know he is a lead character in 1776 but I would love a play that goes into the life of Ben Franklin. Running away from Boston as a child, brilliance as a printer and satirist, incentions, the common law marriage to Deborah Read, Political struggle against the heirs of William Penn over the colonial goverment, his son growing up to be royal Governor of New Jersey while Franklin was in the struggle for Independance, the trip to France with Adams to secure miliatary support int he war for independance . . .

There is such a wealth of material that you could have a drama or a comedy, a love story or a story of a philanderer. A Shwo about the statesman, the businessman or the inventor. You can do so much

John Dallal

I think James J.Walker would be an interesting
subject. Beau James came to symbolize The Roaring
Twenties. And,even though he was forced to resign
during a corruption scandal,he is remembered for
composing a lovely song: Will You Love Me In
December(As You Do In May?)

Colleen

Colleen

Susan

She was not technically a politician, but she is supposed to have acted as president after Woodrow had a stroke and she was descended from Pocahantas, so Edith Wilson. Also has the advantage that she is no longer a polarizing figure as many more recent politicians are.

Ed Ertle

Rudy–the Musical! It has drama (9/11), romance (his public ditching of Donna Hanover), comedy/pathos (his bans on porn shops and firecrackers for Chinese New Year). All great fodder for big splashy production numbers!

Liz Wollman

David Hopson

Former Governor(s) & presidential running mate,
George C. Wallace & his wife Lurleen Wallace.
A period piece, with plenty of plot, twists, turns
Complete with an assisination attempt. Lots of political satire with a racist tone. Just enough story to create an emotional stir if the senses with its audience.

Carey Walden

I think Obama’s story could be funny and captivating on stage. Being raised bi-racially, the semi-notorious college years, and driving a fallen-apart vehicle to pick up Michelle for a date! His “journey to…” has some tragi-comic potential!

Many great suggestions here but I can’t believe I didn’t see this one listed: “Bloomberg, the Musical!”
From building his Empire to running the # 1 city in the Empire State.
He could even sing how he did it “My Way.”
George Washington could also be a fascinating subject (and I loved “1776”).
Jimmy Carter would be tough to do- plenty of material but hard to make him likable.
Lincoln, Rudy G and Jesse Ventura are all worthy subjects, too, as are Mayor Koch and Gov. Christie.

I’d like to see a play that focuses on the journey of the First Lady. Perhaps showcases more than one throughout the course of the show (Eleanor Roosevelt, Michelle Obama, Abigail Adams) and exploring the similarities and differences.

Elliot

Mayor Mike Bloomberg. He’s a self-made man who lost his dad at a young age and became the “man” of the family and created a business which made him a billionaire. Many fascinating things about him. Worth a show in the future.

Forrest

Karen Campbell

Eleah Burman

I would love a musical about The Clintons. Deceit, cheating, and strong characters, specifically strong female characters, make for excellent dramatic devices. I would love to see Sondheim tackle this and finally get a new musical out.

Alexandra

Golda Meir – elected first female prime minister of Israel in March 1969. I would make the backdrop the women’s lib movement which was kicked off in the US by Betty Friedan’s 1963 book The Feminine Mystique.

You really make it appear really easy along with your presentation but I to find this matter to be really something that I believe I’d never understand. It seems too complicated and very vast for me. I am taking a look forward on your next submit, I will try to get the cling of it!